In-house committee resolution for disputes between Government entities preferred over litigation; appeal closed and parties referred to committee mechanism.

Inter se disputes between statutory bodies and public sector entities should, where possible, be taken to an in-house committee mechanism before litigation is pursued. The parties here consented to resolution under the Government Order providing for reference to a Special Power Committee, and the appeal was closed on that basis. The tribunal left the parties to have their dispute and rights settled through the committee process contemplated by the Government Order, reflecting the preference for internal resolution of disputes between Government entities and avoidance of avoidable court proceedings.

---

---

Issues: Whether the appeal should be closed and the parties relegated to the committee mechanism contemplated under the Government Order for resolution of the dispute between Government entities.

Analysis: The dispute was stated to be one between statutory bodies and public sector entities. The parties expressed a consensus that the controversy should be resolved in terms of the Government Order providing for reference to a Special Power Committee. The order also referred to the principle that inter se disputes between Government departments or public sector undertakings should, as far as possible, be examined by an in-house committee before resort to litigation, so that avoidable court proceedings are not pursued.

Conclusion: The appeal was closed and the parties were left to have their dispute and rights settled by the committee mechanism contemplated under the Government Order.

---